Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Question: How many positions in his Department included (a) diversity, (b) inclusion, (c) equity and (d) equality in their job title in each of the last five years; and what the total cost of the salaries of each such job was in each of those years.
Catherine West:
FCDO does not routinely collate information on specific words and collating this information would come at a disproportionate cost.
Information on spending and staffing can be found in the Department’s annual report and accounts.
Question: How much his Department spent on first class flights in each of the last five years.
Catherine West:
This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. In line with FCDO Travel Policy for all staff, first class air travel is prohibited.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of seeking reparations from China for their alleged role in the (a) production and (b) release of covid-19.
Catherine West:
The UK government has been clear that a robust, transparent, and science-led investigation into the origins of COVID must be an important part of the international effort to understand how the pandemic started and how it spread. We continue to support the World Health Organisation (WHO) in its expert study of the origins of Covid-19. WHO Director-General Tedros has said that all hypotheses remain open, and the UK agrees. It is important that China and other countries cooperate fully with the researchers.
Question: What the Government's policy is on paying reparations to countries impacted by the UK's historic involvement in slavery.
Anneliese Dodds:
The government’s position on this has not changed – we do not pay reparations. We are committed to working with affected countries on the most pressing challenges of today (including security, growth, education, health, climate), and to build partnerships on those areas in the future. We fully recognise the horrific impacts and the understandable, ongoing strength of feeling on the issue across communities in the UK and across the Commonwealth family.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to maintain relations with the (a) Republican and (b) Democrat (i) candidate and (ii) Party (A) during and (B) after the US Presidential election.
Stephen Doughty:
The US is an indispensable ally. Our special relationship is crucial for security and prosperity and transcends whatever political parties and individuals are in office across and at all levels of the US system, from the White House to Congress and at State level. It is a core part of the FCDO’s work to engage individuals from across the US political spectrum, including the Presidential campaigns. We have shared values and interests and will continue to work with the US on issues including economic co-operation, defence, intelligence and as key NATO allies.
Question: How many positions in his Department included (a) diversity, (b) inclusion, (c) equity and (d) equality in their job title in each of the last five years; and what the total cost of the salaries of each such job was in each of those years.
FCDO does not routinely collate information on specific words and collating this information would come at a disproportionate cost.
Information on spending and staffing can be found in the Department’s annual report and accounts.
Question: How many positions in his Department included (a) diversity, (b) inclusion, (c) equity and (d) equality in their job title in each of the last five years; and what the total cost of the salaries of each such job was in each of those years.
FCDO does not routinely collate information on specific words and collating this information would come at a disproportionate cost.
Information on spending and staffing can be found in the Department’s annual report and accounts.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will have discussions with the Leader of the House on a debate on the transfer of sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
Stephen Doughty:
The agreement announced by the UK and Mauritius on 3 October concerning the exercise of sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory / Chagos Archipelago is subject to the finalisation of a treaty. Parliament will have the opportunity to scrutinise the detail of the Treaty prior to ratification, in the usual way.